My Skippy

When the doorbell rings around 8 on a Saturday morning, it is usually my mom dropping off something. So I got to the door and saw a lady I didn’t know standing on my porch.

“Is the ginger and white cat yours?”

There are three ginger and white cats in the neighborhood, and I already knew what she was asking. Her husband stood in the street wearing gloves and holding a box, and I saw the tail and knew it was my boy.

Just last night when we were watching TV, he was curled up next to Fred, in his usual spot. At one point, he was on his back and Fred’s hand rested on his fluffy white belly. He was always the most relaxed, most trusting cat.

Seven years ago, I picked him up at the park across from my school one morning. I think it was my 2nd year at the school. Maybe my 3rd. I got out of my car and heard a cat crying, so I walked over to the park, and there was Skippy, stuck in a tree. My friends Robert and Cindi teased me about my super-cat hearing.

My principal wouldn’t let me keep him in my classroom, so I grabbed one of my parents and asked him to babysit. When the parent brought him back that afternoon, he said Skippy had followed him all over the house, just as happy as can be.

That was Skippy, a happy, laid-back guy. I remember when we brought Mama Kitty home five years ago, and she HATED him. He just didn’t get it. He loved everyone, so why would someone not like him?

When he knew I was going to bed, he would run into the room and hide under the bed, knowing I wouldn’t go get him. Then, when I was in bed, he’d jump up and curl next to me. When I come home, he’d come out from the bushes and greet me, flopping onto his back so I could pet his tummy. When Fred would get a bowl of anything, Skippy’s ears would go up, knowing he’d get the remnants.

I feel bad now, because I’d nudge him away from the canned food because I wanted YaYa to eat first. And I’d get Fred to kick him out of the bedroom because I knew he’d wake me up.

I was scrolling through pictures just now laughing, because I have hardly any pictures of him awake.